Most fans know that blues legend Eric Clapton and King were very good friends. Clapton posted the following video on his Facebook page, paying respects and saying thanks to his friend today:

Here's the full transcript of his message:

Hi, this is Eric Clapton here. I just want to express my sadness and to say thank you to my dear friend B.B. King. I want to thank him for all the inspiration and encouragement he gave me as a player over the years, and for the friendship that we enjoyed.

Umm... There's not a lot left to say because this music is almost a thing of the past now, and there are not many left to play in the pure way that B.B. did. He was a beacon for all of us who loved this kind of music, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart.

So if you're not familiar with his work, I would encourage you to go out and find and album called B.B. King: Live at the Regal, which is where it really started for me as a young player.

So, thanks for letting me share this, and thanks very much. Good-bye.

"If you're not familiar with his work, I would encourage you to go out and find an album called B.B. King: Live at the Regal, which is where it all really started for me as a young player," Clapton said in the video.